Shaft for golf clubs and method of making the same



March 11 1924.. Y 1,486,573

- w. R. FORSYTH SHAFT FOR GOLF CLUBS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed June 8, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm It) 2% Mafich 11 1924o Fi i SHAFT FOR GOLF CLUBS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME I; Sheets-Sheet 2 Q, m

March 11 119., 1,486,573

I w. R. FORSYTH SHAFT FOR GOLF CLUBS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed June 8, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 7'6 w ba e 2% (z a fl, w.

Patent Mar. 111,

TENT @FFHQE.

WILLIAM R. FOBSYTH, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUS, ASSIGNOF TU CROSS D AND TAC l i CEUSETTS.

81 FOR GOLF CLUBS METHGD @F L A 161 COMPANY, OF LYNN, M a;

CHUSEETS,.A COEFOMTIQN OF MASSA- THE Application. filed June 8, 1928. Serial No. 844,154.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it'knownthat 1, WILLIAM R. FoRsYTH,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Swampscott, in the county of Essex and 5 State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shafts for Golf Clubs and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specificae tion, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a novel shaft for golf clubs and to a novel method of making the same. The shaft will be hereinafter rere ferred to as a golf shaft, and the invention has for one of its objects to produce a superior golf shaft which is light, strong, of increased driving power, and whose construction is such that all golf shafts embodying this invention have the-same feel to the player when used with difierent club heads.

To this end, the golf shaft is composed in whole or in part of strips or members of 5 bamboo or like cane, preferably substantially triangular in cross section and constructed and assembled as will be described, so as to provide the shaft with a portion of reduced thickness near the end which is attached to the head of the club, to impart the desired flexibility and whip to the shaft as well as the appearance of shafts made from a single piece of hickory or other wood.

The shaft may and preferably will be provided with a dowel at its head end, to fit a socket in the head of the club, which head may be of wood or metal.

The bamboo strips or members are made as will be described, so as to properly shape them without impairing the strength of the natural cane from which they are made.

These and other features of the invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification. Fig. 1 represents a golf club provided with a shaft embodying this invention and made in a" novel manner, as will be described.

Fig. 2 is an elevation and section of a in Fig. 2 with the outside rendered smooth.

Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of the piece of cane shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents a strip out from the cane shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 represents the strip shown in Fig. 5 with the inner surface rendered smooth.

Fig. 7 represents two strips such as shown in Fig.6 cemented and bound together and from which a shaft member or strip is formed.

Fig. 8 represents the manner in which the shaft member is formed.

Figs. 9 and 10, sections of the shaft member on the lines 9-9 and 1010, Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 represents a plurality of shaft members assembled in a loose condition.

Figs. 12, 13 and .14: are sections on the lines 1212, 1313, and 1414, Fig. 11, to illustrate the relations of the shaft members to one anotherat the opposite ends and at the reduced intermediate portion.

Fig. 15 represents the shaft members shown in Fig. 11 as cemented and bound together.

Figs. 16 and 17, cross sections of the same on the lines 1616, and 1717, Fig. 15.

Fig. 18 represents the greater portion of a shaft provided with a dowel and produced from the cemented members shown in Fig. 15.

Figs. 19 and 20 represent a shaft member as being made from a single relatively thick cane strip.

' Figs. 21 and 22 are sections on lines 21-21, 2222, Fig. 19, and 7 Figs. 23 and 24 represent sections of a shaft made from a single strip of cane.

In order that the invention may be clearly comprehended I will describe the method referred by me for making the improved golf shaft starting with the raw material, to wit, the bamboo cane 10 represented in Fig. 2. The cane 10 in its natural state is provided with a strong, hard outer layer 12 which will be hereinafter designated as the enamel layer, and with a relatively soft inner layer 13 commonly known as pith. lit is further provided on its exterior surface with annular protuberances or nodes 14 and on its interior with partition walls 15. The nodes 14 are removed and the exterior surface of the cane is rendered smooth in any suitable manner as represented in Fig. 3. The cane 10 is then out in halves as represented in Fig. 4, and each half is then cut into substantially triangular sections or strips 16, as represented in Fig. 5.

The projections 17 on the inner surface of the strips 16, which originally formed part of the partition wall 15, are then cut away or otherwise removed to provide the strip 16 with a smooth inner surface as represented in Fig. 6. The strip 16 shown in Fig. 6 is represented as being out from a thin cane whose circumferential walls are not of sufficient thickness to enable a single strip to form one member of the shaft 18, shown in ,Fig. 1, and in such cases two strips 16 are employed, which are glued or otherwise cemented together, one upon the I other, as represented in Fig. 7, and said strips are then wound with cord or twine 19 or otherwise firmly clamped together until the glue or cement has set, after which the cord or twine is removed. The two strips 16 are placed together with the enamel or hard outer surface layer 12 of the upper strip in contact with the pith or soft layer 13 of the lower strip.

The combined strip thus formed constitutes a blank strip of the proper thickness, from which a member of the shaft is to be formed. The shaft member is provided with a relatively long section 23 which tapers from its rear end toward the front end, and a relatively short section 24 which tapers in the opposite direction to near its front end. These oppositely tapering sections are represented in Figs. 8, 11 and 19. The tapering shaft members may be shaped by hand or by a suitable machine, which is represented herein by a bed 26 upon which the blank strip shown in Fig. 7 is supported, and by a rotary cutter 27, which is suitably shaped, as represented in Fig. 20, to cut the blank strip into a substantially triangular form in cross'section, as represented in Figs. 9 and 10. I

The rotary cutter 27 may be moved lengthwise of the bed 26 or'the bed may be moved with relation to the rotary cutter, and the latter is also capable of being moved toward and from the bed so as to cut the inner surface of the blank strip on an incline extending downwardly from its rear toward its front end to formthe relatively long in-.

clined section 23, see Fig. 8, and to then cut the upwardly inclined section 24, which is relatively short and extends to the front end of the blank strip.

The rotary knife or cutter 27 maybe governed by a suitable pattern or guide, not shown, by which the depth of the cut is determined, and this attern is such that only the pith or softer ayer 13 of theinner cane strip is removed, and the enamel layer 12 thereof remains intact, so that when the shaft member is formed from the double strip shown in Fig. 7, it will be provided with two. layers of enamel, which impart the desired strength to-the shaft member. A given number of the shaft members 29 thus produced and heroin represented as six in number are then assembled with their enameled surfaces outward as represented in Figs. 11 to 14, and in thisposition the apices of the thickest portions meet or substantially meet and form an axial line, as represented in Fig. 12, while the apices of the portions of less thickness approach more or less to said axial line, as represented in Fig, 13 and 14.

By reference to Fig-.11, it will be seen that the rear and front ends of the adjacent shaft members 29 are in close proximity to one another, while the portions at the points where the oppositely tapering sections 23, 24 merge are separated by substantial spaces 30.

After the shaft members29 have been assembled about a, common center, as represented in Fig. 11, glue or cement is applied to the sides of the said members and the latter are then wound with cord or twine 32 or otherwise clamped together and brought into the position shown in Fig. 15 and held until the glue or cement has set. When the shaft members-are assembled in the position shown in Fig. 11, it will, be observed that the layers 12 of enamel of said members are straight or. substantially so, and that the inner pith layer 13 tapers or inclines in opposite directions, whereas when the shaft members are compressed toward the common center and bound together as represented in Fig. 15, the inner pith members are straightened, that is, the portions of lesser thickness are brought together or approximately together into the axial line formed by the apices of the thicker portions, with the result that the oppositely extended inclinations of the inner pith layer are transferred to the outer enamel layer of the shaft members and the latter are provided with oppositely tapering sections 34, 35, shown in Figs. 1 and 18. The cord or twine 32 is retained on the shaft members until the glue or cement has set and. the shaft members secured firmly together to form they golf shaft. The shaft thus formed may be used to con stitute the shaft of a golf club, but it is preferred to provide .the relatively short ta- 'peredsection with a conical dowel 40, which may be efi'ectedbyturning the same in a lathe in a manner. well understood.

In providing the shaft with the conical dowel 40, the enamel layer 12 of the outer cane strip is removed for only a, portion. of.

the length of the dowel, namely, from the end of smallest diameter rearwardly, as repneeaera resented in Fig. 18, which leaves the enamel layer 12 of the inner cane strip intact and also the rear portion of the enamel layer of the outer cane strip, and as a result a strong and efficient dowel'is obtained, especially at its rear end which is subjected tothe greatest strain when the shaft is in use. A portion of the enamel layer 12 of the outer cane strip is removed to form an annular shoulder 42 for the end wall of the socket of the head 43 to bear against, as represented in Fig. 1'.

The doweled shaft thus produced may be used with the socketed head 43, or as is preferred, it may be provided with a perfectly smooth circular exterior surface after the manner shown in Figs. 23 and 24, which is effected byremoving the corners shown in Fig. 17 and formed by the junction of adjacent shaft members. The corners referred to may be removed by means of sand paper or other abrasive material. When the shaft has been rendered smooth and truly circular, as represented in Figs. 1, 23 and 24, the lines of demarcation between the shaft members or strips comprising the shaft disappear, and the latter has the external appearance of a shaft made from a single piece of material, and provided with oppositely taperin sections. When the cane is of sufficient thickness, the shaft may be composed of one piece members or strips, as illustrated in Figs. 19 to 24 inclusive.

It may and preferably will be desired to provide the golf shaft with a dowel as represented in Figs. 1 and 18, but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect, as the end of the shaft shown in Fig. 15, which-issecured to the head of the club, may be slabbed off or shaped for use in a golf club Whose shaft is. spliced to its head.

A' golf shaft such as above described has been proven by actualuse to possess many desirable features. It is light, strong, durable, of the desired configuration, has the same or uniform feel in all clubs, vibrates at a high rate and propels the ball a maximum distance. It is preferred to make the shaft entirely of cane members or strips, but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect, as one or more of said cane members or strips may be .replaced with like strips of woodor other material and an efficient shaft obtained.

Claims:

1. A shaft for golf clubs having a plurality of members of bamboo or like cane firmly secured together and each comprising an outer strip of cane of substantially' uniform thickness throughout its length and an. inner strip of cane having its pith layer reduced in thickness between its ends. a

2. A shaft "for golf clubs having .a

plurality of members of bamboo or like cane of substantially uniform thickness throughout their length and secured together about a common center with the harder surfaces of said members on the exterior of the shaft and tapering in opposite directions.

3. A shaft for golf clubs having a plurality of members of bamboo or like cane firmly secured. together with their harder outer surfaces tapering in opposite directions, and having a tapering dowel extending from one end of the shaft and forming a shoulder with the harder outer layer of the said end. a

4. A golf shaft member of bamboo or like cane comprising a strip of cane having a relatively hard layer provided with a sub-' stantially straight outer surface and having a pith layer provided with a reduced portion between its ends forming longitudinally extended oppositely inclined surfaces.

5. The method of making golf shafts from bamboo or like cane, which consists in cementing together superimposed strips of the cane with the pith layer of one strip forming the inner surface of the combined strip, cutting-the combined strip to form a shaft member substantially triangular in cross section and to provide the inner pith layer with oppositely inclined surfaces, assembling a plurality of the shaft members thus formed with their external surfaces substantially straight and arranged about a common center, compressing the assembled shaft members toward said common center to provide the external surfaces thereof with oppositely tapering portions, and cementing the shaft members in their compressed position.

6. The method of making golf shafts from bamboo or likecane, which consists in cutting strips of cane into substantially triangular form and removing portions of vtheinner surface thereof to form a shaft 'member having its inner surface provided with oppositely inclined portions, assembling a plurality of the shaft members thus formed with their external surfaces substantially straight and arranged about. a common center, compressing the assembled shaft members toward said common center to provide the external surfaces thereof with oppositely tapering portions, and securing said shaft members together in their compressed positions.

"7. The method of making golf shafts in assembling about a common center a plurality of strips of cane having their external surfaces substantially straight and their inner surfaces provided with oppositely inclined portions, compressing theassembled strips toward: said co on center, to provide the external surfaces thereof fromfbamboo or like cane, which consists with oppositely tapering portions, and securing said strips together in their com pressed positions.

8. The method of making golf shafts from bamboo or like cane, which consists in assembling about a common center a plurality of strips of cane having their external surfaces substantially straight and their inner surfaces provided with oppositely inclined portions, compressing the assembled strips toward said common center to provide the external surfaces thereof with oppositely tapering portions, securing said strips together in their compressed positions, and removing a portion of one end of the assembled strips to form a tapering dowel. a

9. The step in the method of making golf shafts from amboo or like cane, which consists in forming from a cane strip a shaft member having a substantially straight relatively hard outer layer and a pith layer provided with oppositely inclined surfaces. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM R. FORSYTH. 

